Fixed term parliaments

The Resolution approving establishment of the Assembly outlines five topics to be considered by the Assembly.

Fixed term parliaments is the final topic the Assembly is going to consider. It is understood that this topic was included at the request of the Independent Alliance during the Programme for Government formation in 2016.

Once consideration of the topic by the Assembly is completed, it will produce a report and make recommendations to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Schedule of Meetings

It is a matter for the Assembly to structure its work programme and agree a date for consideration of this topic. At the private session during the September 2017 meeting, the Members agreed to switch the order of the Assembly's remaining two topics, fixed term parliaments and the manner in which referenda are held respectively. The Assembly will now consider this topic on 3-4 March 2018.

Past Consideration of the Issue

Constitution Review Group

The Constitution Review Group chaired by T.K Whitaker considered the issue of fixed term parliaments in terms of the articles of the Constitution that would require amendment should fixed term parliaments be introduced. The articles affected would be Articles 13, 16 and 28.

The relevant extracts from the Report of the Constitution Review Group 1996 can be read below:

Submissions

The Assembly invites members of the public, representative groups and citizen organisations to make a submission on this topic. The submission process on this topic is now open, please click here to make a submission.

Reports

Once completed, the report will be available here.

Video Archive

The Citizens’ Assembly will be live streamed and therefore available for the public to view.

Following this meeting, archive footage will be available to view here.